What follows is the half term report I submitted to my supervisor.
Kanyagwal High School is located in Kanyagwal Location, Kisumu East District, Nyanza Province. The school is located in an open field off a dirt road next to a grove of eucalyptus trees. The school consists of 4 classrooms, arranged in a row, with offices and a walkway between Forms 2 and 3. There are currently 8 faculty, including the principal and deputy principal. Also there is a clerk, secretary, 2 cooks, 2 watchmen, and a variety of temporary workers. The school numbers 180 students with more Form 1s still expected to arrive.
The region of Kano plains, where Kanyagwal is located, is a wetland area. Nearby Lake Victoria provides an abundance of water to support rice farming, and various other forms of agriculture. I have observed sugarcane, maize, cassava, kale, mangoes, bananas, coconuts, tomatoes, and potatoes. Really, they grow just about everything. Food scarcity is not one of the primary concerns of the community, nor is water shortage under non-drought conditions. Lake Victoria also services a large fishing community, who enter the lake through small streams, normally overgrown with papyrus and hyacinth.
The students are drawn from the area surrounding the market of Riat, most from within 3 km of the school. Most students walk, but some have bicycles. Bikes are the main form of transportation here. It is between 30-45 minutes to bike to Ahero, but most teacher living there use motorcycles to commute. On Tuesdays there is market day in Ahero, and matatus run the route to Riat. From Ahero, it is about a 25 minute matatu ride to Kisumu.
My house is located about 1 km from the school, in a family compound. The house is comfortable, except for the heat and mosquitoes that are impossible to avoid. There is no electricity, but I am able to charge batteries thanks to solar panels on the roof of the compound’s main house. The choo and bathing area are both very functional. Water is no problem to access. My only gripe is that my mattress sucks, but I may splurge on a comfy one.
The region has a high prevalence of HIV. I am aware of some of my students who are infected, also that some of the girls are mothers, even a few Form 1s. The school has no explicit Life Skills curriculum, but I have attempted to incorporate some sex education into my lessons. I am not alone. Various community groups periodically visit the school, including the VCT, which provided confidential testing. People seem to know about HIV, it has affected most of their lives, but few volunteer information. I have discussed the issue a little with some of my colleagues.
Currently I am teaching well over my limit. I am scheduled for 32 lessons a week, 4 Forms of Biology, 3 Forms and Physics. I know the principal has requested the TSC provide a new teacher, but the government is slow and money’s tight. I cope by not actually attending all my lessons (indeed, 6 of them have scheduling conflicts). I make it my goal to attend each Form at least once a day, so I probably go to between 20-25 lessons. I am aware that this is not ideal, but everything is going fine. After all, it’s quality not quantity, and I feel that at least my notes are good.
The prospect for secondary projects is good, as the school needs just about everything. Currently they are digging a well so that we don’t rely on deliveries of water. After that there is need for latrines, a structure for the cooks, the construction of a lab and completion of the fifth classroom, which ran into financial difficulties. My first effort will be forming an environmental club, mainly to plant trees. The eucalyptus grows well here, as the region is a flood plain. I have made contact with a Professor Barrack Okeyo, of environmental science at Moi University in Eldoret. He will be assisting me in securing some seedlings from the Ministry of Forestry.
I find I am in good company. I like my fellow teachers, and have appreciated the support of Mr. Nandi and Mr. Omondi in particular. They cane the students, but we’ll work on that. The principal seems like an honest man, which is an improvement over the former headmaster, Mr. Oginga, who was transferred due to embezzling Ksh 2.5m, which is largely the reason for the school’s financial woes. The deputy is a good-hearted fellow. And the students are mostly polite and respectful. I get them laughing, so all is well. The rest of the community is somewhat a mystery to me, but I have made a few friends. One is particular named Clarkson has been very welcoming. And the mama of my compound, Doris, is a reliable and interesting woman. And otherwise, people are friendly. I see lots of smiles, so there is clearly some good to be had around here.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The First Week
I am seated in near darkness. The only light eminates from the LED of my iPod speaker, and the display off this sweet smartphone which I bought in Kisumu. Ahh, that glorious city. I spent the weekend there with some other volunteers. Staying in cheap hotels and drinking like a freshman. I am happy in the knowledge that there is an escape should I require it.
Hard to imagine that it is only 20 clicks away, I haven't even left the district! And yet my town is without electricity, roads, adequate water or sanitation, and the people live in houses made of mud. The frontier of development as it were.
The closest big town is Ahero, located on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, 10 km from Lake Victoria. The power ends after kilometer 5, and my town is at kilometer 7. The surrounding area is floodplains and bush, so lots of rice growing and mosquitoes.
And the school! Ah, the school. I think I shall grow to love it with time. It's quite small, about 200 students. Eight teachers, including myself, the principal and deputy principal. There were nine, but the Biology teacher skipped town last week. So who is making up the difference? You guessed it, the Dom. It's fine for the moment, as the form 1 students have yet to arrive. But once they do it will be hell. They keep telling me they are going to get somebody, but I grow more skeptical by the day. But oh well, whatever comes. And my co-teachers are cool as shit. (I went drinking with the religion teacher yesterday). The students are fine. Half the time they are mocking me, but the other half they are rapt with attention. I think a few of them may even escape this places.
So yeah, in summary, this phone is awesome. Samsung B7320. Tell your freinds. G'night.
Hard to imagine that it is only 20 clicks away, I haven't even left the district! And yet my town is without electricity, roads, adequate water or sanitation, and the people live in houses made of mud. The frontier of development as it were.
The closest big town is Ahero, located on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, 10 km from Lake Victoria. The power ends after kilometer 5, and my town is at kilometer 7. The surrounding area is floodplains and bush, so lots of rice growing and mosquitoes.
And the school! Ah, the school. I think I shall grow to love it with time. It's quite small, about 200 students. Eight teachers, including myself, the principal and deputy principal. There were nine, but the Biology teacher skipped town last week. So who is making up the difference? You guessed it, the Dom. It's fine for the moment, as the form 1 students have yet to arrive. But once they do it will be hell. They keep telling me they are going to get somebody, but I grow more skeptical by the day. But oh well, whatever comes. And my co-teachers are cool as shit. (I went drinking with the religion teacher yesterday). The students are fine. Half the time they are mocking me, but the other half they are rapt with attention. I think a few of them may even escape this places.
So yeah, in summary, this phone is awesome. Samsung B7320. Tell your freinds. G'night.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
BZZZZ EEE-ERN... CONNECTION REESTABLISHED
THE INTERNET. IT EXISTS!!!!
Joyous this day is, now that I am reconnected to the world. I apologize to all of you who were hoping for some regular updates to this blog, alas I have failed to connect these last few months. The trouble wasn't that there is a lack of Internet (indeed there is a nationwide EDGE network in Kenya). The problem was that being me, I just had to upgrade to the latest Mac OS, Snow Leopard, which was incompatible with the driver for this internet dongle thingie. As you might have guessed, tech support is a bit lacking in Kenya, so to upgrade the driver I had to wait until I returned to Nairobi, which is where I am currently writing from.
So what's going on? It's been an eventful 2 months of training, which is now over. A pair of my trousers were stolen off the clothesline. I may have visited Tanzania accidentally (there was some confusion over where exactly the border is). I have eaten a bunch of odd parts of a goat, including the liver, intestines and stomach lining. I have toured an AIDS clinic in a truckers town (you can imagine what kind of business the locals engage in). My entire group has passed our language proficiency test, so we are all allowed to remain in Kenya (a Peace Corps Kenya first, I am told). And I have had altogether too little to drink.
Tomorrow is our swearing in ceremony, which will be held at the US ambassadors residence, on account of it being the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps Kenya. The Kenyan Minister of Education has been invited, but I doubt he will show (I'm afraid I can't elaborate, as I'm sure it would violate some kind of contractual bit about not commenting on politics, but read the news if you are interested. And then on Thursday it's off to site, and next week I begin teaching science (the new Missionary position, as it were).
So where is I going? The village is called Riat, it's next to the town of Ahero, near the city of Kisumu, in Nyanza province. Apparently I will be living about 4 km away from Lake Victoria, so I expect a fishy sort of diet. The climate is hot... and humid... and altogether uncomfortable. Lots of mosquitoes, which means lots of malaria. And lots of HIV, a cozy 15.3% adult infection rate! Fun stuff. I'm psyched.
Oh yeah, It's the same area where Obama senior was from, the Luo tribe. I've been trying to shift gears and forget my Kiswahili to make room for DhoLou. But it sucks spending two months on a language only to have to start with a brand new one (they aren't even in the same language family). No point bitching I suppose. Wish me luck!
Joyous this day is, now that I am reconnected to the world. I apologize to all of you who were hoping for some regular updates to this blog, alas I have failed to connect these last few months. The trouble wasn't that there is a lack of Internet (indeed there is a nationwide EDGE network in Kenya). The problem was that being me, I just had to upgrade to the latest Mac OS, Snow Leopard, which was incompatible with the driver for this internet dongle thingie. As you might have guessed, tech support is a bit lacking in Kenya, so to upgrade the driver I had to wait until I returned to Nairobi, which is where I am currently writing from.
So what's going on? It's been an eventful 2 months of training, which is now over. A pair of my trousers were stolen off the clothesline. I may have visited Tanzania accidentally (there was some confusion over where exactly the border is). I have eaten a bunch of odd parts of a goat, including the liver, intestines and stomach lining. I have toured an AIDS clinic in a truckers town (you can imagine what kind of business the locals engage in). My entire group has passed our language proficiency test, so we are all allowed to remain in Kenya (a Peace Corps Kenya first, I am told). And I have had altogether too little to drink.
Tomorrow is our swearing in ceremony, which will be held at the US ambassadors residence, on account of it being the 45th anniversary of Peace Corps Kenya. The Kenyan Minister of Education has been invited, but I doubt he will show (I'm afraid I can't elaborate, as I'm sure it would violate some kind of contractual bit about not commenting on politics, but read the news if you are interested. And then on Thursday it's off to site, and next week I begin teaching science (the new Missionary position, as it were).
So where is I going? The village is called Riat, it's next to the town of Ahero, near the city of Kisumu, in Nyanza province. Apparently I will be living about 4 km away from Lake Victoria, so I expect a fishy sort of diet. The climate is hot... and humid... and altogether uncomfortable. Lots of mosquitoes, which means lots of malaria. And lots of HIV, a cozy 15.3% adult infection rate! Fun stuff. I'm psyched.
Oh yeah, It's the same area where Obama senior was from, the Luo tribe. I've been trying to shift gears and forget my Kiswahili to make room for DhoLou. But it sucks spending two months on a language only to have to start with a brand new one (they aren't even in the same language family). No point bitching I suppose. Wish me luck!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Saturdays are good EVERYWHERE
November the 14th, 2009
Today was a great day. It started out with chores. First the laundry, I do not recall ever having washed my clothes by hand before, but Sofi showed me the proper technique. Next came the water purification, a tedious process, but I was satisfied with the result. Then I read and relaxed until it was time for sport with the other volunteers. We met at 2 at Boma la Tumaini; but due to stragglers and a few wrong turns we did not make it to the field until 3. I find it ironic, though I have openly expressed by distaste for the watoto (children), it was I who ended up kicking around a soccer ball with a bunch of them while my colleagues organized an exclusive kickball game.
Never mind, I did not remain for long as I had agreed to meet Enoch at 4 to watch the football. I entered the Hotel Act II on time, but he was nowhere to be found. I ordered a Fanta, and sat down to watch the Harambee Stars v. the Super Eagles. A moment later Enoch entered and bade I follow, so I downed my Fanta and hastily departed for Makuti, which, as it turns out, is an awesome bar.
The game contained all the elements that makes football such a great game. And although they lost, and although Kenya isn’t going to the World Cup, I could feel that everyone present was happy that at least their team went down swinging.
Today was a great day. It started out with chores. First the laundry, I do not recall ever having washed my clothes by hand before, but Sofi showed me the proper technique. Next came the water purification, a tedious process, but I was satisfied with the result. Then I read and relaxed until it was time for sport with the other volunteers. We met at 2 at Boma la Tumaini; but due to stragglers and a few wrong turns we did not make it to the field until 3. I find it ironic, though I have openly expressed by distaste for the watoto (children), it was I who ended up kicking around a soccer ball with a bunch of them while my colleagues organized an exclusive kickball game.
Never mind, I did not remain for long as I had agreed to meet Enoch at 4 to watch the football. I entered the Hotel Act II on time, but he was nowhere to be found. I ordered a Fanta, and sat down to watch the Harambee Stars v. the Super Eagles. A moment later Enoch entered and bade I follow, so I downed my Fanta and hastily departed for Makuti, which, as it turns out, is an awesome bar.
The game contained all the elements that makes football such a great game. And although they lost, and although Kenya isn’t going to the World Cup, I could feel that everyone present was happy that at least their team went down swinging.
Nimechoka...
November the 9th, 2009
Short entry today, as I am tired. First day of the “routine” as it were. Got up, ate egg with bread and chai. Went to Mama Kamani’s house for lesson with Evans (the language trainer) and Nicole. The lesson was a bit slow, but I think that’s a good sign (thank you Rosetta Stone!) We will likely move language groups around depending on ability, but I would prefer not to if it means losing Evans, he’s great. Had some good discussions about Kenyan politics with him today.
Aft language, we had medical discussion (diarrhea talk this time), followed by lunch (githeri=corn and beans @ Café Kilimanjaro, meh). Followed by technical (Kenyan school system = boring). Followed by bank visit ($1 does not equal 63 KSH, oh well). Followed by CELL PHONE. Talk to Mom, all is right with world.
Shit, showered, ate, coffee, done. Lala salama.
Short entry today, as I am tired. First day of the “routine” as it were. Got up, ate egg with bread and chai. Went to Mama Kamani’s house for lesson with Evans (the language trainer) and Nicole. The lesson was a bit slow, but I think that’s a good sign (thank you Rosetta Stone!) We will likely move language groups around depending on ability, but I would prefer not to if it means losing Evans, he’s great. Had some good discussions about Kenyan politics with him today.
Aft language, we had medical discussion (diarrhea talk this time), followed by lunch (githeri=corn and beans @ Café Kilimanjaro, meh). Followed by technical (Kenyan school system = boring). Followed by bank visit ($1 does not equal 63 KSH, oh well). Followed by CELL PHONE. Talk to Mom, all is right with world.
Shit, showered, ate, coffee, done. Lala salama.
Bumpy ride to the Shamba
November the 8th, 2009
I feel the words are going to fail me tonight… see they already did. Let me just say what I saw today without all the fancy talk. We met our host families today. My Mama, Sofi is a short Kikuyu woman who speaks impeccable English and dresses very well. Equally well dressed is her Maasai husband, Enoch, who I saw briefly at the mechanics. Yes, the mechanic, who is just some guy near a nondescript brown building with light blue shutters in the center of town. What happened was, Sofi drove to Outward Bound to meet me, but along the way she came upon a puddle whose depth deceived her. After several false starts she decided that something was awry. And the mechanic confirmed that some of the spark plugs got wet and weren’t firing correctly. But this guy didn’t have the tool to get them out of the block, so he made one. Welded it together right there on the spot! “He knows how to improvise” says Sofi. And boy was Kapucinski right about crowds forming around cars being worked on, everyone watching while one guy does his thing.
Turns out their other car, a pickup truck, had just been fixed that morning. So I transferred my stuff to that and we went of to the house where I will spend the next two months. They have lots of land, mostly devoted to farming (coffee, maize, beans, kale, other stuff). There are also a few goats and a very unfriendly dog, but I’m sure he’ll come around. The house is charming; they have electricity, and a few nice things. Hot shower (scalding hot!) No toilet, just the choo (read: concrete hole in the ground). It’s all very functional. My room is fine, one light bulb, no outlets, and a few insects, but no problem.
As I was unpacking my stuff I came across a goodbye note from Mom, and for the first time since I boarded the airplane my eyes filled with tears. I think that was the moment it finally became real. But no time for regret now, there is work to be done. I keep hoping Swahili will come easy, but it won’t. Now’s the time to “finally” knuckle down. Tomorrow is lesson #2.
I feel the words are going to fail me tonight… see they already did. Let me just say what I saw today without all the fancy talk. We met our host families today. My Mama, Sofi is a short Kikuyu woman who speaks impeccable English and dresses very well. Equally well dressed is her Maasai husband, Enoch, who I saw briefly at the mechanics. Yes, the mechanic, who is just some guy near a nondescript brown building with light blue shutters in the center of town. What happened was, Sofi drove to Outward Bound to meet me, but along the way she came upon a puddle whose depth deceived her. After several false starts she decided that something was awry. And the mechanic confirmed that some of the spark plugs got wet and weren’t firing correctly. But this guy didn’t have the tool to get them out of the block, so he made one. Welded it together right there on the spot! “He knows how to improvise” says Sofi. And boy was Kapucinski right about crowds forming around cars being worked on, everyone watching while one guy does his thing.
Turns out their other car, a pickup truck, had just been fixed that morning. So I transferred my stuff to that and we went of to the house where I will spend the next two months. They have lots of land, mostly devoted to farming (coffee, maize, beans, kale, other stuff). There are also a few goats and a very unfriendly dog, but I’m sure he’ll come around. The house is charming; they have electricity, and a few nice things. Hot shower (scalding hot!) No toilet, just the choo (read: concrete hole in the ground). It’s all very functional. My room is fine, one light bulb, no outlets, and a few insects, but no problem.
As I was unpacking my stuff I came across a goodbye note from Mom, and for the first time since I boarded the airplane my eyes filled with tears. I think that was the moment it finally became real. But no time for regret now, there is work to be done. I keep hoping Swahili will come easy, but it won’t. Now’s the time to “finally” knuckle down. Tomorrow is lesson #2.
Hookers and Giraffes
November the 7th, 2009
Last night was a blast. The PCVs took us to a club/bar called Gipsy, which was packed with all sorts. Young, old, Kenyans, Asians, Brits, Germans, NGO workers and prostitutes. I proceeded to get a bit sloshed, and ended up being worked on by a hooker. I bought her a drink and she told me that “Dom” is slang for weed, so I shouldn’t introduce myself that way. High-larious.
Anyway, we drank, we danced, I watched football highlights, and we all made it home at the end of the night. All for about $18. It still didn’t feel like Africa though…
… but the ride today brought me back into the mindset I was expecting. The road from Nairobi to Mombasa is paved! A relatively new feature I’m informed. About 60 miles down the road we turned southwards having traveled past some spectacular landscapes. I now understand what Hemingway meant by those “Green Hills of Africa.” We saw zebras, ostriches, antelope, and above all giraffes. Two fellas were lumbering by the side of the road and offered a spectacular view of themselves.
About 40 miles outside of Loitokitok the pavement ran out, and parts of the road were nothing but dust. At one point is was so bad that the road was completely obscured by the clouds being blown ahead of us by the wind, and we had to stop and wait for them to clear. I was sitting near the front, and as we crested a hill I noticed the landscape ahead was rising upwards into the clouds. I knew it as soon as I perceived it: Kilimanjaro! Or the base of it at least, I still haven’t seen its entirety due to the weather. But even at this distance, 20 miles away, its base took up half of my field of vision!
After arriving in Loitokitok we took a short walk through the town, which lies at the base of the great mountain. I’ve read that the population numbers about 35,000, with the majority from the Maasai tribe. From where we are staying the night at Outward Bound, we calked along a dirt track past fields and houses and finally shops as we made our way through the city centre. Then we hooked back around past more houses and a field where children were playing football. Apparently, we are quite a spectacle. The children kept running out to greet us screaming “Howryu!” They kids are disgustingly adorable, all smiles in their tattered rags. Livestock encumbered our way around every bend, and every five seconds we had to jump to the side of the road to avoid being run down by a motorcycle.
But what I honestly found the most fascinating are the trees. Some erupt into leaves of beautiful purple fireworks. Some are those flat-topped trees that are distinctly African. And some are tree trunk on bottom, but the top branches resemble cacti, as if they were the result of some genetic splicing between oak and saguaro. Truly, this is an alien planet I have landed on.
Last night was a blast. The PCVs took us to a club/bar called Gipsy, which was packed with all sorts. Young, old, Kenyans, Asians, Brits, Germans, NGO workers and prostitutes. I proceeded to get a bit sloshed, and ended up being worked on by a hooker. I bought her a drink and she told me that “Dom” is slang for weed, so I shouldn’t introduce myself that way. High-larious.
Anyway, we drank, we danced, I watched football highlights, and we all made it home at the end of the night. All for about $18. It still didn’t feel like Africa though…
… but the ride today brought me back into the mindset I was expecting. The road from Nairobi to Mombasa is paved! A relatively new feature I’m informed. About 60 miles down the road we turned southwards having traveled past some spectacular landscapes. I now understand what Hemingway meant by those “Green Hills of Africa.” We saw zebras, ostriches, antelope, and above all giraffes. Two fellas were lumbering by the side of the road and offered a spectacular view of themselves.
About 40 miles outside of Loitokitok the pavement ran out, and parts of the road were nothing but dust. At one point is was so bad that the road was completely obscured by the clouds being blown ahead of us by the wind, and we had to stop and wait for them to clear. I was sitting near the front, and as we crested a hill I noticed the landscape ahead was rising upwards into the clouds. I knew it as soon as I perceived it: Kilimanjaro! Or the base of it at least, I still haven’t seen its entirety due to the weather. But even at this distance, 20 miles away, its base took up half of my field of vision!
After arriving in Loitokitok we took a short walk through the town, which lies at the base of the great mountain. I’ve read that the population numbers about 35,000, with the majority from the Maasai tribe. From where we are staying the night at Outward Bound, we calked along a dirt track past fields and houses and finally shops as we made our way through the city centre. Then we hooked back around past more houses and a field where children were playing football. Apparently, we are quite a spectacle. The children kept running out to greet us screaming “Howryu!” They kids are disgustingly adorable, all smiles in their tattered rags. Livestock encumbered our way around every bend, and every five seconds we had to jump to the side of the road to avoid being run down by a motorcycle.
But what I honestly found the most fascinating are the trees. Some erupt into leaves of beautiful purple fireworks. Some are those flat-topped trees that are distinctly African. And some are tree trunk on bottom, but the top branches resemble cacti, as if they were the result of some genetic splicing between oak and saguaro. Truly, this is an alien planet I have landed on.
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